Neverending Covid-19 Coronavirus

Getting a booster looks like it's going to be a pain in the ass for me.

Because the public health emergency is over, the the covid vaccinations are now classified as "voluntary" just like flu-shots. This means I can only get it at a in-network provider. Which around me is Walmart, Sam's Club or Costco.

Unlike the flu-shot, I can not get it at the doctors office. I wonder why they don't offer it.

Also, what's the deal with no out-of-network coverage for things classified as "voluntary". My insurance has out-of-network coverage and nothing in the policy in plain site says anything about "voluntary". But as I have learned the last couple of years, the flu-shot is not covered at CVS because of this fact. They tell me it's not considered medically necessary so there is no requirement for them to cover it out-of-network.
 
RenegadeMonster said:
Getting a booster looks like it's going to be a pain in the ass for me.

Because the public health emergency is over, the the covid vaccinations are now classified as "voluntary" just like flu-shots. This means I can only get it at a in-network provider. Which around me is Walmart, Sam's Club or Costco.

Unlike the flu-shot, I can not get it at the doctors office. I wonder why they don't offer it.

Also, what's the deal with no out-of-network coverage for things classified as "voluntary". My insurance has out-of-network coverage and nothing in the policy in plain site says anything about "voluntary". But as I have learned the last couple of years, the flu-shot is not covered at CVS because of this fact. They tell me it's not considered medically necessary so there is no requirement for them to cover it out-of-network.
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yeah... my health insurance is through CVS Caremark so I had to pay $60 for a flu shot because I went to Walgreens by my house. I could have gone across town to a CVS to get the Flu shot separately, but I was already there at Walgreens, and I'd have to schedule a whole new appointment online for a different day at CVS. The Covid shot was free, however, with my insurance but not the flu shot. I had recently changed my insurance to be a higher deductable because I rarely use it for anything and wanted a cheaper plan. I think that may have caused the change because my Fiance, who is in the same insurance network, but her own plan, didn't have to pay. Luckily I can reimburse through my HSA savings account. Either way it was really annoying.
 
 
I just got my booster yesterday when I got my physical. I lucked out. My doctors office just got in and started offering the covid vaccine for the first time on Monday. Previously, you could not get the covid shot through them ever.

I got the new booster.

Like the last two Moderna boosters, my arm is sore, but nowhere near as bad this time. However, I have an odd new side effect today. My scalp is sore. If I run my hand through my hair, my salp at the root of my hair aches / is painful. It's the weirdest thing.
 
RenegadeMonster said:
I just got my booster yesterday when I got my physical. I lucked out. My doctors office just got in and started offering the covid vaccine for the first time on Monday. Previously, you could not get the covid shot through them ever.

I got the new booster.

Like the last two Moderna boosters, my arm is sore, but nowhere near as bad this time. However, I have an odd new side effect today. My scalp is sore. If I run my hand through my hair, my salp at the root of my hair aches / is painful. It's the weirdest thing.
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I just took an appointment to get it done November 9 along with the flu shot. I was already doing flu shots every year since getting incredibly wiped by influenza about 20 years ago. That was so bad I want to put any advantage on my side. I guess COVID is part of the annual routine now too.
 
So my question now is…I finally got Covid about a month ago now. I had to hold off getting the new booster. When should I / can I get the booster? I went ahead and got my flu shot this week.
 
Bennnnn said:
So my question now is…I finally got Covid about a month ago now. I had to hold off getting the new booster. When should I / can I get the booster? I went ahead and got my flu shot this week.
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You could get a booster now, you shouldn't have issues and it would probably help but it wouldn't be the most efficient. Basically, COVID itself acts like a booster and gives you protection for a while. Timing your vaccine booster for when that protection starts to wane would be the most efficient, especially if you don't plan on doing it again for a year. So maybe as early as a month from now but probably better 2-3 months from now? 3 months after the start of your COVID seems to be the generally recommended delay.
 
Turbo said:
I just took an appointment to get it done November 9 along with the flu shot. I was already doing flu shots every year since getting incredibly wiped by influenza about 20 years ago. That was so bad I want to put any advantage on my side. I guess COVID is part of the annual routine now too.
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I am somewhat immunocompromised, and my allergist / immunologist advised me not to get the covid / flu vax at the same time. I'm still going through allergy shots (in my 4th year and hopefully stopping next spring) so I also have to allow time between monthly allergy injections and other shots. Getting the flu shot next week then need to find an appt for a covid booster. I've only had three covid shots, and did catch covid in July 2022. When I had bloodwork done at my annual physical a few months later, the number of covid antibodies in my blood was literally off the charts. (I've not had that test run again since last fall)

My husband's physician (same practice) thinks that's meaningless, my doc said I was well protected. I had planned to get a covid shot in the spring, but just never got around to it. Definitely going to as soon as I can schedule it in between other shots.
 
Turbo said:
I just took an appointment to get it done November 9 along with the flu shot. I was already doing flu shots every year since getting incredibly wiped by influenza about 20 years ago. That was so bad I want to put any advantage on my side. I guess COVID is part of the annual routine now too.
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To date, I've never done a flue shot, but I'll be going for my next COVID booster next week. Wife got hers a few hours ago and we're taking the 2-year-old in an hour and a half. My wife originally wanted us to go together, but I figure all three of us on the same day might not be ideal...
 
RenegadeMonster said:
I just got my booster yesterday when I got my physical. I lucked out. My doctors office just got in and started offering the covid vaccine for the first time on Monday. Previously, you could not get the covid shot through them ever.

I got the new booster.

Like the last two Moderna boosters, my arm is sore, but nowhere near as bad this time. However, I have an odd new side effect today. My scalp is sore. If I run my hand through my hair, my salp at the root of my hair aches / is painful. It's the weirdest thing.
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I am curious about getting the Novavax instead of either Pfizer or Moderna. I have heard really great things about it.
 
I went and caught COVID a couple days before I was due to get my booster shot. Won't need the booster now.

I'm about 4 days in, doing ok. This thing has been making me very tired. Only really upsetting thing is that my taste is all shot. I can still taste things, but it's wrong. I didn't think this was a thing any more. Anyway, hopefully this symptom doesn't last too long.
 
Turbo said:
I went and caught COVID a couple days before I was due to get my booster shot. Won't need the booster now.

I'm about 4 days in, doing ok. This thing has been making me very tired. Only really upsetting thing is that my taste is all shot. I can still taste things, but it's wrong. I didn't think this was a thing any more. Anyway, hopefully this symptom doesn't last too long.
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Oh damn, man. Sorry to hear!
 
So, in case you guys are interested in how this thing progresses in someone that's vaccinated (5 shots total, last booster a year ago - get your boosters folks). I'm on day 5 and turning a massive corner. The brain fog is lifted almost back to normal today - had about 2 and a half days of that. Low grade fever is gone with it and so are the migraines. Body aches too. Some other symptoms I won't mention as well. This is completely different than when I experienced a bad flu - the symptoms regressed much more gradually then. This hit hard and lifted hard.

My wife and daughter remain symptom-free (knock on wood) - whether that's because I isolated quickly enough - I've been living in the man cave and masking in the rest of the house (doubtful because I only isolated on day 3 when I realized I had COVID from the lost of taste, followed by a very positive home test), they already got COVID (quite possible with one at school and the other in a health care setting) or my previous vaccination making my transmissibility worst, so far so good.

I'm also really grateful for a great sick leave plan and great bosses. I took the last three days off using my bank of sick days, no questions asked. Will probably take tomorrow as well.
 
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